UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA     AGRICULTURAL  EXPERIMENT  STATION 

BENJ.    IDE    WHEELER,    PRESIDENT 

COLLEGE   OF  AGRICULTURE  THOMAS  FORSYTH  HUNTf  DEAN  AND  „,„„„ 

BCDU  Cl    C-V  H      E'   VAN    NORMAN,    Vic  c- D  i  r  ec  to  b  and  Dean 

BtHI\LLLT  Un.versity    Farm    School 


CIRCULAR  No.  151 
(May,  1916) 

FEEDING  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  HOGS 

By  J.  I.  THOMPSON 


Typical  market  hogs.     Average  weight  at  7  months  of  age,  240  pounds. 


INTRODUCTION 

The  object  of  this  circular  is  to  outline  some  approved  methods  of 
feeding  and  management  of  hogs  for  the  benefit  of  all  who  are  inter- 
ested, and  to  supply  some  suggestions  and  practical  information  for 
the  beginners. 

ADVANTAGES  OF  THE  SWINE  INDUSTRY 

Ranchers  in  California  are  gradually  changing  from  exclusive 
grain  or  fruit  farming  to  a  more  diversified  system  in  order  to  main- 
tain the  fertility  of  the  soil.  Since  live  stock  permits  crops  to  be  mar- 
keted at  a  higher  average  price  per  hundred  weight,  reduces  much  of 
the  waste,  provides  a  more  uniform  distribution  of  labor  throughout 


the  year  and  makes  possible  the  return  to  the  soil  of  much  valuable 
fertilizer,  a  rapidly  increasing  number  of  farmers  are  becoming  live 
stock  breeders. 

The  hog  can  utilize  a  majority  of  the  waste  products  of  the  farm 
more  economically,  reproduce  more  rapidly,  be  secured  with  less  out- 
lay  of  capital  and  started  as  a  herd  more  easily,  and  can  be  fed  and 
marketed  more  economically  than  any  other  class  of  meat-producing 
animals.  For  these  reasons  this  class  of  live  stock  is  attracting  marked 
attention  at  the  present  time. 

PKESENT  CONDITION  OF  INDUSTRY 
The  number  of  hogs  in  California  last  year  was  approximately 
877,000.  Statistics  show  a  gradual  increase  for  the  past  few  years; 
also  that  the  number  now  is  fully  one-fourth  less  than  it  was  twenty- 
eight  years  ago.  During  this  time  the  population  has  more  than 
doubled,  so  that  the  pork  produced  here  supplies  probably  not  more 
than  one-third  the  amount  consumed.  The  market  value  of  pure-bred 
hogs  must  have  increased  materially,  for  the  total  value  of  hogs  now 
is  more  than  double  what  it  was  twenty-eight  years  ago  (when  the 
number  was  fully  one-fourth  greater).  Of  course  the  price  per  pound 
is  also  higher,  but  it  is  not  sufficiently  so  to  account  for  the  difference. 
The  entrance  of  many  new  breeders  into  this  business  and  the 
shortage  of  the  supply  has  created  a  very  great  demand  for  breeding 
stock.  Breeders  are  finding  a  ready  sale  for  good  quality  stock  for 
breeding  purposes  and  for  the  market. 

THE  ENVIRONMENT 

Alfalfa  grows  in  abundance  in  many  sections  of  the  state,  and  be- 
cause of  its  high-protein  and  ash  content  is  the  most  valuable  pasture 
crop  that  can  be  produced.  An  average  acre  will  take  care  of  from 
fifteen  to  twenty  pigs,  or  from  2,000  to  2,500  pounds  of  pork  when 
grain  is  fed  in  addition.  In  this  manner  rapid  gains  and  a  high 
quality  of  pork  can  be  produced.  Rape,  clover,  or  peas  can  be  grown 
in  some  sections  not  adapted  to  alfalfa.  Wheat,  barley,  corn,  kafir, 
and  milo  will  supply  much  of  the  necessary  concentrates,  and  a  great 
number  of  pounds  of  pork  are  annually  produced  from  the  waste 
wheat  and  barley  left  in  the  grain  fields. 

The  hog  is  well  adapted  to  the  uniform  climate  found  here,  which 
permits  of  regular  and  rapid  growth  throughout  the  year.  The  mar- 
ket price  for  properly  finished  hogs  is  generally  as  high  and  sometimes 
higher  in  San  Francisco  and  Los  Angeles  than  at  other  market  centers 
in  the  United  States,  quality  considered. 


TYPES  OF  HOGS 

Two  radically  different  types  of  hogs  are  recognized  among  the 
pure-breds — the  bacon  and  the  lard  types.  The  former  is  well  adapted 
to  the  production  of  deep,  long,  smooth  sides.  In  this  type  the  shoul- 
ders and  hams  are  comparatively  light  and  the  back  not  nearly  so 
broad  as  in  the  lard  type.  The  lard  type  is  well  adapted  to  the  pro- 
duction of  hams,  shoulders,  and  broad  fat  backs  and  loins. 

The  market  demand  in  California  is  almost  entirely  for  a  block,  or 
butcher's  animal,  which  is  best  supplied  by  medium-weight  lard  hogs, 
hence  the  bacon  type  does  not  sell  so  readily  as  the  latter.  The  light- 
weight hogs  of  the  lard  type  seem  to  supply  the  demand  for  bacon 
satisfactorily,  but  when  the  bacon  hogs  are  produced  in  sufficient  num- 
bers to  establish  a  constant  supply  of  high-class  bacon  for  a  curing 
business,  they  will  undoubtedly  find  a  ready  sale. 

LARD  HOG  TYPE 

The  lard  hog  type  is  one  that  has  been  developed  principally  in 
the  cornbelt  of  this  country.  While  this  type  is  expected  to  produce 
a  considerable  amount  of  lean  meat,  it  is  also  expected  to  produce  a 
large  amount  of  lard.  The  market  in  this  state  prefers  a  handy  weight 
hog  of  about  225  pounds.  In  general  he  should  be  fairly  long,  broad, 
deep,  uniform  in  width  and  depth,  thick  in  flesh,  and  smooth  and  sym- 
metrical throughout.  The  legs  should  be  of  medium  length,  straight 
and  strong,  and  the  bone  sufficiently  large  to  carry  the  weight  easily. 

Since  the  ultimate  purpose  of  the  lard  hog  is  for  the  block,  the 
breeder  should  cater  to  the  demands  of  the  butcher  as  nearly  as 
possible. 

BREEDS 

The  bacon  type  of  hog  is  represented  in  this  state  by  Yorkshires  and 
Tamworths;  the  lard  type  by  Berkshires,  Poland  Chinas,  Duroc- 
Jerse}7s  and  Chester  Whites. 

Hampshires  and  Mule-Foots,  intermediate  in  type  between  the  two 
above  mentioned,  are  found  in  some  localities. 

Each  one  of  these  breeds  has  its  partisans  and  yet  any  of  them 
seem  to  do  well  where  given  the  proper  care  and  handling.  Crossing 
of  the  various  breeds  has  been  quite  common,  but  since  such  a  prac- 
tice has  not  produced  a  better  market  hog — except  sometimes  in  the 
first  cross  in  herds  that  are  badly  run  down — than  is  produced  within 
a  breed,  and  since  such  produce  is  not  in  demand  for  breeding  stock 
the  practice  is  not  to  be  recommended  and  is  gradually  disappearing. 
Most  of  the  breeds  now  show  enough  variation  of  type  so  that  a  breeder 


can  secure  almost  any  type  within  the  breed  that  he  desires,  without 
resorting  to  so  radical  a  method  as  cross-breeding.1 

BUILDINGS 

Hog  houses  of  almost  every  style  are  to  be  found  in  California, 
ranging  from  quite  good  to  very  poor.  In  some  cases  none  are  pro- 
vided. Whether  the  house  is  a  permanent,  centrally  located  one,  or 
one  of  the  movable  style,  it  should  be  clean,  dry,  free  from  draughts, 
and  easily  disinfected.  A  combination  of  a  central  house,  with  storage 
room  for  feed,  and  some  farrowing  pens,  together  with  a  number  of 
movable  houses  seems  to  be  the  most  feasible. 

Lots  that  can  be  kept  reasonably  dry  and  clean  should  be  provided 
around  the  house  or  houses  where  all  hogs  may  secure  sufficient  exer- 
cise when  pasture  is  not  available. 

SELECTION  OF  BREEDING  STOCK 

In  selecting  breeding  stock  for  the  foundation  of  a  herd  of  breed- 
ing sows,  the  beginner  will  oftentimes  be  guided  by  the  means  at  hand, 
and,  if  his  experience  and  finances  do  not  warrant  beginning  with 
pure-breds,  he  must  needs  be  content  with  the  best  grades  obtainable. 
These  should  be  selected  to  conform  as  nearly  as  possible  to  one  type, 
for  unless  they  are  of  a  uniform  type  no  sire  could  be  expected  to  beget 
an  even  lot  of  pigs  from  them. 

The  chief  advantage  of  a  pure-bred  pig  over  the  "common  scrub" 
is  in  his  greater  possibilities.  He  has  been  bred  and  selected  to  con- 
sume large  amounts  of  feed  and  put  on  his  gain  in  that  part  of  his 
carcass  most  valuable  to  the  butchers.  Since  he  can  consume  more 
feed  daily,  he  makes  larger  gains  and  saves  to  the  breeder  the  amount 
of  feed  required  for  his  maintenance  for  the  number  of  days  taken  to 
reach  a  given  weight  in  advance  of  the  "scrub."  This,  then,  is  the 
greatest  advantage  that  the  pure-bred  has,  and  is  sufficient  reason 
from  a  financial  standpoint  alone  for  using  pure-bred  or  high-grade 
breeding  stock. 

AGE  TO  BREED  AND  DETAILS  OF  BREEDING 
Sows  should  not  be  bred  to  farrow  until  they  are  at  least  twelve 
months  old.  To  do  this  they  should  be  bred  at  from  eight  to  nine 
months  of  age  (the  period  of  gestation  is  about  112  days),  and  sows  of 
this  age  should  produce  but  one  litter  the  first  year.  After  that  they 
can  readily  produce  two  litters  each  year,  provided  they  are  properly 
fed  and  handled.  In  order  to  do  this,  the  pigs  should  be  weaned  when 
about  eight  weeks  old,  and  the  sow  rebred  as  soon  thereafter  as  she 

1  Cross-breeding  is  the  mating  together  of  pure-bred  animals  of  different  breeds. 


comes  in  heat,  which  will  probably  be  in  about  three  days.  The  period 
of  heat  is  the  time  at  which  a  sow  is  in  season  and  ready  to  be  bred. 
It  usually  occurs  about  every  twenty-one  days  and,  if  a  sow  is  not  bred, 
lasts  for  two  or  three  days.  If  bred  at  one  period  of  heat  and  no  sign 
of  heat  is  evidenced  when  the  next  period  is  due,  the  sow  may  be  con- 
sidered to  have  conceived. 

Some  breeders  prefer  not  to  breed  a  gilt2  until  she  is  about  four- 
teen months  old,  so  that  her  first  litter  is  produced  when  she  is  ap- 
proximately eighteen  months  of  age,  and  she  is  then  bred  to  farrow 
every  six  months  thereafter. 

It  has  been  proved  that  older  sows  produce  more  and  heavier  pigs 
than  young  sows,  and  their  pigs  gain  faster  while  suckling.  The  rec- 
ords of  the  California  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  for  the  past 
three  j^ears  show  that  the  mature  sows  have  farrowed  12  per  cent,  more 
pigs  and  21  per  cent,  heavier  pigs  than  the  younger  sows.  It  is  a 
mistake  to  sell  all  of  the  sows  after  they  have  produced  one  litter,  and 
depend  on  young  untried  gilts  for  the  next  crop  of  pigs. 

Old  sows  sometimes  become  so  heavy  and  fat  that  they  lie  on  many 
of  their  pigs.  Sometimes,  too,  they  become  deaf  or  blind,  which  con- 
tributes to  the  same  trouble.  To  prevent  this,  a  guard  rail  should  be 
placed  on  at  least  two  sides  of  the  farrowing  pen,  six  inches  from  the 
wall  and  about  eight  inches  from  the  floor  so  that  the  little  pigs  will 
not  get  caught  behind  the  sows.  The  bedding  should  be  fine  and  not 
too  plentiful  in  order  that  the  little  fellows  will  not  get  entangled  in 
it  and  crushed  by  the  mother  when  she  lies  down. 

Pigs  may  be  farrowed  during  any  month  of  the  year  in  this  state, 
so  far  as  weather  conditions  are  concerned,  however,  it  is  not  advisable 
for  them  to  come  during  the  hottest  weather  in  July  and  August,  and 
it  is  just  as  well  to  have  the  spring  litter  come  near  the  close  of  the 
rainy  season  rather  than  earlier.  The  dates  of  reckoning  the  ages  of 
pigs  for  the  fairs  and  stock  shows  are  March  1st  and  September  1st, 
so  that  breeders  who  contemplate  exhibiting  should  have  their  pigs 
farrowed  as  soon  after  either  of  these  two  dates  as  possible. 

The  sows  should  be  bred  so  as  to  farrow  as  nearly  the  same  time  as 
possible,  for  the  pigs  not  only  look  better  if  they  are  about  the  same 
size,  but  they  also  do  better.  Where  some  are  large  and  some  small, 
the  larger  ones  crowd  the  little  chaps  away  from  the  trough  and  get 
more  than  their  share  of  the  feed. 

There  is  a  wide  variance  of  opinion  concerning  the  condition  of 
sows  at  breeding  and  at  farrowing  time.  However,  it  is  quite  gen- 
erally admitted  that  sows  which  are  gaining  rapidly  in  condition  at 

2  A  gilt  is  a  young  sow  that  has  not  farrowed. 


6 

breeding  time,  conceive  most  readily  and  produce  the  largest  litters. 
During  the  past  three  years  the  California  Agricultural  Experiment 
Station  has  secured  an  average  of  8.6  live  pigs  to  the  litter  from  sows 
that  the  average  breeder  would  call  fat  at  farrowing  time.  These  re- 
sults seem  to  indicate  that  high  condition  obtained  with  the  proper 
feeds  and  accompanied  with  an  abundance  of  exercise  is  beneficial 
rather  than  detrimental. 

A  breeding  crate  is  desirable  on  farms  where  many  sows  are  kept. 
It  conserves  the  energy  of  the  boar  and  permits  the  use  of  old  boars 
on  young  sows,  and  vice  versa.  When  the  breeding  is  done  in  this 
manner,  the  correct  breeding  date  is  much  more  liable  to  be  recorded 
than  is  the  case  where  the  boar  is  turned  in  with  the  herd.  There  are 
many  patent  breeding  crates  on  the  market  but  it  is  entirely  possible 
to  build  one  at  home  that  will  answer  the  purpose  quite  well.  An 
ordinary  shipping  crate  with  adjustable  two  by  fours  along  the  sides 
to  support  the  weight  of  the  boar,  a  small  adjustable  approach  at  the 
rear  to  raise  or  lower  the  boar,  and  a  T  shaped  piece  to  place  under 
the  sow  to  hold  her  in  the  crate  and  keep  her  standing,  are  all  that 
is  needed. 

SELECTION  AND  HANDLING  OF  THE  BOAR 

He  should  always  be  a  pure-bred  and  a  good  individual.  Some 
breeders  prefer  a  boar  that  is  rather  more  compact  than  the  sows.  It 
is  important  that  he  be  very  masculine  in  appearance,  else  he  is  liable 
to  be  disappointing  as  a  breeder.  He  should  be  in  strong,  healthy, 
vigorous  condition.  To  insure  this  he  should  be  provided  with  a  small 
pasture  lot  well  fenced  and  provided  with  good  shelter  and  plenty 
of  grass. 

It  is  sometimes  necessary  to  use  a  young  boar,  but  this  should  be 
avoided  as  much  as  possible.  He  may  be  used  on  a  limited  number  of 
sows  when  eight  or  nine  months  old.  When  mature  he  may  be  per- 
mitted to  serve  two  sows  a  day  for  a  time,  but  this  may  prove  too  many 
if  long  continued.  He  will  need  a  carefully-planned  grain  ration  to 
keep  him  in  proper  condition.  This  ration  may  be  composed  of  much 
the  same  material  as  is  fed  to  the  sows,  an  abundance  of  protein  being 
essential.  Barley,  two  parts,  and  middlings  one  part,  for  a  boar  in 
thin  condition,  or  barley  and  middlings  in  equal  parts  for  one  in  suf- 
ficiently high  condition,  is  the  regular  thing.  A  small  amount  of 
tankage  may  be  used  in  place  of  the  middlings,  and  when  oats  are 
reasonable  in  price,  they  may  replace  part  of  the  barley  for  a  boar  in 
good  condition.  The  amount  fed  will  depend  on  the  condition  of  the 
boar.  A  gradual  change  in  the  ration  occasionally  to  afford  variety 
will  prove  beneficial. 


CARE,  FEED  AND,  MANAGEMENT  OF  BROOD  SOWS 

Young  sows  intended  for  breeding  purposes  should  be  separated 
from  the  other  pigs  when  about  five  or  six  months  old,  and  kept  in 
pasture.  They  should  be  fed  a  growing  ration,  not  a  fattening  one, 
Barley  will  generally  constitute  the  bulk  of  this  ration  in  California, 
except  in  sections  where  corn  does  well.  If  the  pasture  is  alfalfa  or 
clover,  only  a  small  amount  of  some  other  feed  or  feeds  high  in  protein 
will  be  necessary.  If  the  pasture  is  other  than  alfalfa  or  clover,  the 
high-protein  feed  should  be  increased  in  proportion  to  the  barley  or 
corn.  Skim  milk,  tankage,  wheat  shorts  or  middlings,  and  perhaps  soy 
bean  meal  and  cocoanut  meal  will  furnish  the  desired  protein.  Corn, 
kafir,  milo  and  barley  may  be  fed  dry  to  hogs  of  almost  any  age,  but 
the  last  three  should  be  ground  or  rolled.  Less  barley  will  be  wasted 
when  fed  in  an  open  trough  if  it  is  soaked.  Brood  sows  and  young 
pigs  seem  to  relish  it  more  in  this  condition.  If  the  grain  is  soaked, 
twelve  hours  is  sufficient.  Oats  may  be  used  as  a  part  of  the  ration  for 
brood  sows,  especially  in  conjunction  with  wheat,  but  both  are  usually 
too  high  in  price  to  be  used  for  hog  feed,  and  oats  are  rather  too  bulky 
to  constitute  the  entire  ration.  Dried  beet  pulp,  soaked,  may  replace 
from  one-third  to  one-half  the  barley. 

The  amount  of  skim  milk  to  be  fed  will  vary  with  the  price  of 
grain,  but  when  barley  is  not  higher  than  $1.00  per  hundred  pounds 
and  skim  milk  or  butter-milk  can  be  secured  for  25  cents  per  hundred 
pounds  or  less,  it  is  most  economical  to  feed  not  more  than  three  and 
one-half  to  four  pounds  of  milk  for  each  pound  of  grain. 

Tankage  is  so  high  in  protein  that  one  pound  of  it  to  from  eight  to 
twelve  pounds  of  grain  is  sufficient,  depending  on  the  age  and  condi- 
tion of  the  hogs. 

Mature  sows  can  make  good  use  of  some  bulky  feeds  during  the 
winter  months,  but  they  should  always  be  fed  a  sufficient  amount  of 
grain  to  keep  them  in  vigorous  condition,  and  be  supplied  with  suf- 
ficient protein  and  mineral  matter  to  develop  the  growing  foetus 
properly.  Some  alfalfa  hay  may  be  fed  in  racks  or  in  the  form  of 
meal.  A  few  cull  potatoes,  if  cooked,  may  be  used,  also  some  pump- 
kins, sugar  beets  or  mangels.  It  is  poor  economy,  however,  to  attempt 
to  use  these  feeds  in  such  amounts  that  the  sows  are  thin  at  farrowing 
time  and  the  pigs  weak  because  of  improper  nourishment. 

An  abundance  of  exercise  should  be  provided  for  all  breeding  stock. 

FARROWING  TIME 
Two  or  three  days  before  farrowing  sows  should  be  placed  in  indi- 
vidual pens,  which  should  be  clean,  dry,  well- ventilated  and  lighted, 
free  from  draughts,  bedded  lightly  and  provided  with  a  guard  rail. 


Those  that  are  too  fat,  or  those  too  thin  and  weak,  may  experience 
some  difficulty  in  farrowing  and  should  receive  attention.  For  twenty- 
four  hours  before  farrowing  the  feed  should  be  light  and  nothing  but 
an  occasional  drink  of  water  need  be  given  for  twenty-four  hours  after- 
ward. Some  breeders  prefer  to  give  the  sow  a  large  feed,  made  up 
principally  of  bran,  soon  after  she  farrows,  believing  that  she  will 
settle  down  much  more  readily  if  she  is  not  hungry. 

After  twenty-four  hours  a  light  grain  ration  should  be  given,  and 
this  should  be  increased  daily  until  the  sow  is  on  full  feed  in  about 
two  weeks.  During  this  time  the  ration  should  be  similar  to  the  one 
fed  before  farrowing.  From  this  time  on  the  object  of  the  ration 
should  be  to  produce  as  large  a  flow  of  milk  as  the  pigs  can  handle 
properly.  Some  breeders  find  that  the  addition  of  some  dried  beet 
pulp  (soaked)  to  the  grain  ration  aids  materially  in  increasing  the 
milk  flow.  Overfeeding,  which  may  cause  the  production  of  more  milk 
than  the  pigs  can  use,  often  produces  an  inflamed  condition  of  the 
sow's  udder,  and  causes  scouring  in  the  pigs. 

The  mouths  of  all  new-born  pigs  should  be  examined.  If  some  long, 
black  tusk-like  teeth  are  found  projecting  outward  against  the  lips, 
they  should  be  broken  off  with  a  pair  of  nippers. 

If  the  sows  have  not  been  furnished  a  sufficient  amount  of  protein 
in  the  ration  previous  to  farrowing  they  may  eat  the  young  pigs.  To 
prevent  this,  feed  a  considerable  amount  of  tankage  for  two  weeks 
after  farrowing  to  all  sows  that  may  not  have  secured  enough  protein 
during  the  gestation  period.  Should  two  sows,  farrowing  on  the  same 
day,  have  litters  very  uneven  in  numbers,  it  is  often  advisable  to  trans- 
fer some  of  the  pigs  from  the  sow  having  a  very  great  number  to  the 
one  having  only  a  few. 

Each  sow  with  pigs  should  be  kept  in  a  separate  pen  until  the  pigs 
are  at  least  two  weeks  old.  After  that  ten  or  more  sows  may  be  allowed 
to  run  together  if  the  pigs  are  about  the  same  size.  If  they  are  uneven 
in  size,  the  growth  will  be  very  uneven,  for  the  stronger  pigs  will  get 
more  than  their  share  of  the  feed. 

CARE  OF  LITTERS 
The  opinion  is  quite  prevalent  in  California  that  large  litters  are 
the  more  economical.  This  is  not  always  the  case.  Large  litters  are 
desirable  if  the  sow  can  raise  them  properly.  If  strong  litters  of  seven 
and  eight  are  farrowed  and  ninety  per  cent,  of  them  raised,  it  is  much 
more  profitable  than  a  moderately  strong  to  weak  litter  of  nine  or  ten, 
of  which  only  sixty-five  per  cent,  are  raised.  The  first  figures  are 
being  duplicated  on  the  better  managed  farms,  and  yet  the  latter  ones 
are  higher  than  the  average. 


Pigs  may  be  so  large  at  birth  that  farrowing  is  difficult,  but  the 
larger  they  are,  so  long  as  this  trouble  is  not  experienced,  provided 
they  are  strong  and  vigorous,  the  more  rapidly  will  they  grow  after- 
wards. The  birth  weight  of  pigs  at  the  University  Farm  has  ranged 
from  1.7  pounds  to  4.6  pounds  and  averaged  2.64  pounds  for  the  last 
three  years. 

When  the  pigs  are  from  three  to  four  weeks  old  they  will  begin  to 
eat  and  should  be  provided  with  finely  ground  grain  and  skim  milk 
in  a  trough  separate  from  their  mothers.  A  "creep"  may  be  built 
by  placing  a  panel  across  the  corner  of  the  lot,  which  is  built  of  slats 
four  inches  wide,  placed  six  inches  apart,  perpendicular  to  the 
ground. 

Pigs  make  their  cheapest  gains  while  nursing  and  the  cost  of  their 
gains  in  food  nutrients  increases  steadily  from  that  time  until  they 
are  mature.  Therefore,  if  proper  attention  is  given  to  the  make-up 
of  the  ration  so  that  it  is  reasonably  economical,  the  more  rapid  the 
gains,  the  cheaper  they  are  likely  to  be. 

FEEDS  TO  USE 

A  number  of  different  systems  of  growing  pigs  for  market  have 
been  followed  in  various  regions  of  this  state.  The  most  common 
practice  in  the  Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin  valleys  is  to  allow  sows 
and  pigs  to  live  on  pasture  alone  until  the  stubble  fields  are  available. 
When  these  are  cleaned  up,  the  orchard  and  vineyard  wastes  are  next 
utilized ;  then  the  pigs  go  back  on  pasture  until  the  next  year 's  stubble 
is  available.  After  it  is  gone  they  may  be  fed  for  two  or  three  weeks 
to  harden  them  up,  and  are  then  marketed.  There  are  two  objections 
to  the  system.  The  first  is  that  the  pigs  do  not  get  to  market  until 
they  are  from  sixteen  to  twenty-two  months  old,  which  means  that  for 
maintenance  alone  they  have  eaten  the  equivalent  of  about  six  hun- 
dred pounds  of  barley.  The  amount  required  for  their  growth  must 
be  added  to  this  to  obtain  the  cost  of  production.  Of  course,  much  of 
the  food  utilized  is  practically  waste,  but  if  the  pigs  are  fed  a  medium 
grain  ration  in  connection  with  the  pasture,  they  can  still  make  use 
of  the  waste  material  from  the  fields  and  go  to  market  at  about  ten 
months  of  age  instead  of  from  sixteen  to  twenty-two,  weighing  about 
two  hundred  pounds.  The  ten  months '  old  pigs  will  each  have  used  for 
maintenance  only  about  263  pounds  of  barley,  or  barley  equivalent,  a 
saving  of  about  340  pounds  of  feed. 

Alfalfa  pasture  alone  will  do  little  more  than  maintain  the  weight 
of  the  pigs.  They  will  gain  rapidly  when  furnished  a  heavy  grain 
ration  after  having  received  nothing  but  pasture  for  several  months, 


10 

but  the  product  so  produced  is  not  a  desirable  one.  Such  a  carcass  is 
soft,  dresses  out  only  about  72  per  cent,  or  73  per  cent.,  when  it  should 
dress  from  78  per  cent,  to  80  per  cent.,  and  also  shrinks  about  3  per 
cent,  in  the  cooler  where  it  should  shrink  only  about  1  to  iy2  per  cent. 
This  class  of  pork  has  caused  buyers  to  discriminate  against  California- 
grown  hogs  in  favor  of  hogs  grown  outside  the  state.  This  discrimina- 
tion can  be  overcome  only  by  proper  feeding. 

Some  growers  in  the  Imperial  Valley,  hoping  to  overcome  this  ob- 
jection, adopted  a  practice  of  removing  the  pigs  from  alfalfa  pasture 
when  they  had  reached  a  weight  of  about  100  pounds,  and  confined 
them  in  close  quarters  until  ready  for  market.  This  method  will  over- 
come the  objection  mentioned  above  but  has  another  just  as  serious ; 
it  is  too  expensive.  Such  a  system  might  be  commendable  for  fatten- 
ing a  hog  of  from  200  to  300  pounds  weight,  for  the  gain  on  a  hog  of 
this  weight  is  mostly  in  flesh  and  not  in  growth  of  frame,  but  to  grow 
a  pig  from  100  pounds  to  200  pounds  requires  more  growth  of  frame 
than  increase  in  flesh.  The  best  quality  of  product  and  most  eco- 
nomical growth  up  to  200  pounds  can  be  secured  by  a  combination 
of  grain  and  pasture. 

In  the  coast  counties  where  alfalfa  is  not  commonly  grown,  less 
trouble  is  experienced  with  the  carcass  being  too  soft  and  too  oily,  but 
in  many  localities  where  acorns  grow  in  abundance  the  same  trouble  is 
encountered  in  a  more  aggravated  form.  The  acorns,  unless  supple- 
mented with  a  substantial  grain  ration,  produce  flesh  so  soft  that  it 
is  almost  impossible  to  cure  it,  and  for  this  reason  it  is  often  severely 
discriminated  against  on  the  market.  The  most  satisfactory  system 
of  feeding  is  the  one  that  will  keep  the  pigs  growing  at  a  reasonable 
rate  and  do  this  economically.  The  use  of  home-grown  feeds,  so  far 
as  they  suit  the  needs  of  the  animals,  is  always  to  be  recommended. 

SELF-FEEDEKS 
In  order  to  provide  a  liberal  grain  ration  of  corn  or  barley  when 
hogs  are  on  alfalfa  and  to  keep  the  labor  cost  as  low  as  possible,  self- 
feeders  will  be  found  valuable.  When  barley  is  high  in  price  so  that 
a  heavy  ration  might  be  too  costly,  alfalfa  meal  or  some  similar  bulky 
feed  may  be  mixed  with  the  barley  in  order  to  prevent  the  pigs  from 
eating  so  much  of  the  latter.  When  barley  is  medium  or  low  in  price, 
the  self-feeder  may  be  filled  with  barley  alone.  Should  the  alfalfa 
pasture  get  dry  or  sparse,  some  high-protein  feed  may  be  furnished  in 
a  separate  self-feeder.  Tankage  and  cocoanut  meal  have  been  used  in 
this  manner  at  the  University  Farm  with  good  results.  Wheat  shorts 
or  middlings  can  be  fed  in  this  manner  but  should  be  mixed  with  the 


11 

rolled  barley,  using  two  parts  of  barley  to  one  of  shorts,  by  weight. 
Contrary  to  the  general  belief,  the  pigs  will  balance  their  own  rations 
when  all  of  the  material  necessary  for  proper  growth  is  available  in 
the  feeds  offered. 

The  system  of  feeding  here  advocated  will  readily  produce  a  200- 
pound  pig  at  from  seven  and  one-half  to  eight  months  of  age.  The 
feed  required  will  vary  from  three  to  five  pounds  of  grain,  in  addition 
to  the  pasture,  for  each  pound  of  gain — the  amount  depending  upon 
the  thrift,  vigor  and  capacity  of  the  pigs. 

MAINTENANCE   OF   HEALTH 

No  system  of  feeding  is  likely  to  prove  satisfactory  unless  the  hogs 
are  healthy.  Many  of  the  losses  occurring  in  herds  of  swine  can  be 
avoided  by  preventive  measures. 

Inbreeding — that  is,  the  mating  of  animals  closely  related,  should 
be  avoided  in  most  cases.  Probably  more  serious,  however,  is  the  con- 
tinuous use  year  after  year  of  immature  sows  and  boars.  This  prac- 
tice is  sure  in  time  to  produce  small  weak  pigs  of  low  vitality  which 
readily  succumb  to  the  attacks  of  the  various  diseases.  Long  con- 
tinued, the  herd  generally  deteriorates  very  perceptibly  in  rapidity 
and  economy  of  gains  and  in  general  excellence.  The  decline  may  be 
so  gradual  as  not  to  be  observed  by  the  owner,  yet  there  is  probably 
no  other  single  factor  so  detrimental  to  the  prosperity  of  the  swine 
industry  as  this  one. 

Clean,  dry  sleeping  quarters  free  from  draughts  are  essential. 
When  such  are  not  provided,  rheumatism,  asthma,  and  pneumonia  are 
prevalent,  and  lice  and  worms  find  excellent  harboring  places. 

A  central  hog  house  that  can  be  kept  clean,  dry,  free  from  dust 
and  draughts  is  a  convenient  place  for  farrowing  and  for  the  storage 
of  feed.  If  runways  of  alfalfa  or  grass  can  be  provided,  so  much  the 
better.  It  is  often  advisable  to  supply  individual  houses  for  use  in 
conjunction  with  the  central  hog  house.  These  can  be  readily  moved 
to  adjacent  pastures  by  a  team  of  horses.  During  the  summer  months 
a  shade  of  rough  boards  or  limbs  of  trees  covered  over  with  straw  or 
hay  may  be  sufficient  to  protect  the  hogs  from  the  sun.  These  places 
should  be  kept  free  from  dust.  Some  breeders  prefer  a  hog  wallow 
to  keep  the  hogs  cool.  If  this  is  built  of  concrete  or  similar  material 
and  constructed  with  an  outlet  drain  so  that  it  can  be  kept  clean,  it 
may  prove  very  useful,  but  a  mudhole  is  generally  worse  than  nothing. 
It  soon  becomes  filthy  and  when  the  hogs  get  badly  covered  with  mud, 
especially  in  the  Imperial  Valley,  they  are  liable  to  develop  a  serious 
skin  disease. 


12 

If  clean  running-water  can  be  provided,  with  no  chance  of  its 
having  become  contaminated  up  the  stream,  the  hogs  may  make  good 
use  of  it.  The  bed  of  such  a  stream  should  be  composed  of  sand  or 
gravel.    Irrigation  ditches  should  never  be  used  for  hog  wallows. 

The  feed  should  be  of  sufficient  variety,  palatability,  bulk,  amount, 
and  in  proper  condition  to  keep  the  hogs  thrifty,  for  in  such  a  con- 
dition they  are  best  able  to  ward  off  the  attacks  of  disease  and  para- 
sites. 

Dipping  will  help  to  keep  the  animals  free  from  lice  and  similar 
parasites.  Crude  oil  is  the  most  effective  for  destroying  lice,  but  the 
occasional  use  of  one  of  the  coal  tar  disinfectant  dips  is  beneficial. 

Intestinal  Worms  in  Pigs* — "Intestinal  worms  are  common  in  hogs 
and  are  particularly  injurious  to  growing  pigs.  Insufficiently  fed, 
neglected  pigs  living  in  dirty  pens  and  yards,  fed  from  filthy  troughs, 
drinking  contaminated  water,  bathing  in  old  hog  wallows,  and  rooting 
and  sleeping  in  manure  piles  and  stack  bottoms,  soon  become  infested 
with  worms,  consequently  they  do  not  thrive,  but  develop  into  pot- 
bellied, rickety,  profitless  runts.  Pens  should  be  kept  clean  and  dry 
and  the  manure  frequently  removed. 

"It  has  been  asserted  by  various  experienced  feeders  of  hogs  that 
a  mixture  of  charcoal,  ashes,  lime,  salt,  sulphur  and  copperas  kept 
where  the  hogs  can  eat  it,  will  tend  to  prevent  worm  infestation.  There 
is  not  as  yet  positive  experimental  evidence  in  support  of  the  idea 
that  such  a  mixture  will  prevent  worm  infestation,  but  the  mixture 
does  appear  to  satisfy  the  hog's  desire  for  mineral  substances  and 
probably  is  of  value  as  a  tonic  and  appetizer.  It  may  be  made  in  the 
following  proportions : 

Charcoal  Mixture: 

Charcoal,  1  bushel  Air  slaked  lime,  4  pounds 

Hardwood  ashes,  1  bushel  Sulphur,  4  pounds 

Salt,  8  pounds  Pulverized  copperas,  2  pounds 

"Mix  the  lime,  salt,  and  sulphur  thoroughly  and  then  mix  with 
the  charcoal  and  ashes.  Dissolve  the  copperas  in  two  parts  of  hot 
water  and  sprinkle  over  the  whole  mass,  mixing  it  thoroughly.  Keep 
some  of  this  mixture  in  a  box  before  the  hogs  at  all  times,  or  place  in 
a  self-feeder. 

"Santonin,  which  was  formerly  widely  used  as  a  remedy  for  worms 
in  hogs,  is  practically  unobtainable  at  the  present  time  owing  to  foreign 
trade  conditions. 


U.  S.  Dept.  Agr.  Weekly  News  Letter,  Vol.  Ill,  No.  37. 


13 

"The  following  treatment  has  been  found  very  effective  against 
intestinal  worms  in  experiments  conducted  by  the  Zoological  Division 
of  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry :  Withhold  all  feed  and  water  for 
twenty-four  hours,  then  give  each  pig  1  to  4  ounces  of  castor  oil  to 
which  has  been  added  oil  of  American  wormseed  as  follows :  Small 
pigs,  2  to  3  months  old,  35  drops;  pigs  weighing  from  50  to  100  lbs., 
50  to  100  drops;  larger  pigs,  1  teaspoonful. 

"Each  pig  should  be  dosed  separately  if  the  best  results  are  to  be 
obtained. 

"Dangerous  to  drench  hogs. — Drenching  hogs  is  dangerous,  as  they 
are  liable  to  get  the  remedy  into  the  lungs.  With  sufficient  assistance 
pigs  may  be  held,  the  mouth  kept  open  by  means  of  a  couple  of  loops 
of  wire  or  rope ;  and  the  medicine  given  directly  in  a  tablespoon.  By 
this  method,  though  it  is  troublesome,  one  may  be  certain  that  each 
pig  gets  his  proper  dose.  After  dosing,  the  pigs  may  be  fed  and 
watered.     Repeat  the  treatment  in  10  days." 

Cholera  is  the  most  serious  and  costly  disease  affecting  hogs  in  this 
country.  The  following  suggestions  if  consistently  followed  will  re- 
duce to  a  minimum  the  ever  present  danger  from  hog  cholera : 

Locate  your  hog  lots  and  pastures  away  from  streams  and  public 
highways,  and  do  not  allow  the  hogs  to  run  free  range  or  permit  access 
to  canals  or  irrigation  ditches. 

Do  not  visit  your  neighbor  or  allow  him  to  visit  you  if  either  of 
you  has  hog  cholera  on  your  premises. 

Do  not  drive  into  hog  lots  when  returning  from  market  or  after 
driving  on  public  highways. 

Do  not  use  hog  lots  for  yarding  wagons  and  farm  implements. 

Do  not  place  newly  purchased  stock,  stock  secured  or  loaned  for 
breeding  purposes,  or  stock  exhibited  at  county  fairs,  with  your  herd. 
Keep  such  stock  quarantined  by  keeping  them  in  separate  pens  for  at 
least  two  weeks  and  use  care  to  prevent  infection  from  these  to  other 
pens  in  feeding  and  attending  stock. 

Burn  to  ashes  or  cover  with  quicklime  and  bury  under  four  feet 
of  earth  all  dead  animals  and  the  viscera  removed  from  animals  at 
butchering  time  because  they  attract  the  attention  of  buzzards,  dogs, 
etc.,  which  are  liable  to  carry  hog  cholera  infection. 

Confine  your  dogs  and  do  not  keep  pigeons  unless  you  confine  them. 

It  is  preferable  to  secure  the  water  supply  from  wells. 

For  particulars  concerning  this  disease  and  its  control,  write  the 
Director  of  the  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  Berkeley,  California, 
for  Circular  No.  106  on  "  Directions  •  for  Using  Anti-Hog  Cholera 
Serum,"  and  Circular  No.  132,  "When  to  Vaccinate  against  Hog 


14 

Cholera,"  and  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Publications,  Washington,  D. 
C,  for  Farmers'  Bulletin  No.  379,  on  "Hog  Cholera." 

BUTCHERING,  CURING  AND  KEEPING  OF  PORKs 

There  are  different  methods  of  butchering  and  various  recipes  for 
curing  pork  products.  The  methods  herein  described  are  not  new  and 
are  perhaps  no  better  than  many  others,  but  will  furnish  a  guide  for 
the  novice  who  desires  to  do  his  own  slaughtering  and  curing. 

Hogs  for  home  use  may  vary  in  weight  to  suit  the  size  of  the  cuts 
to  the  size  of  the  family,  but  care  should  be  taken  not  to  use  pigs  that 
are  quite  immature,  or  some  difficulty  may  be  encountered  in  curing 
the  meat.  A  live  weight  of  from  200  to  250  pounds  will  be  found  most 
satisfactory  if  the  animal  is  in  good  condition  and  not  over  one  year 
old.  Almost  any  shed,  having  good  beams,  can  be  converted  into  a 
slaughter  house.  If  more  than  two  or  three  head  are  to  be  killed  at  a 
time,  the  expenditure  of  about  $75.00  in  equipment  will  be  found  most 
convenient.  An  overhead  track,  one  or  two  block  and  tackles,  a  scald- 
ing vat,  tables,  a  few  shelves  and  a  lard  cooker  will  be  found  useful. 

When  the  water  has  reached  a  temperature  of  140  degrees  Fahr., 
the  hog  should  be  pulled  up  with  a  block  attached  to  a  chain  about  the 
hind  legs  and  stuck.  Hanging  in  this  manner  produces  rapid  and 
complete  bleeding.  After  this  the  pig  is  ready  for  the  scalding  vat. 
A  thermometer  should  be  available  to  make  sure  that  the  temperature 
is  correct.  If  one  cannot  be  secured  some  fresh  blood  should  be  placed 
in  the  vat.  If  a  "milky"  appearance  is  thus  produced,  the  water  is 
too  hot.  Too  high  a  temperature  is  liable  to  "set"  the  hair  so  that 
it  cannot  be  scraped  off.  A  slow  scald  is  desirable.  Some  washing 
powder  or  wood  ashes  may  be  added  to  the  water  to  remove  dirt  from 
the  hide.  Saucer-shaped  scrapers,  which  can  be  secured  at  any  hard- 
ware store,  are  preferable  for  removing  the  hair.  Following  the  scrap- 
ing, the  hog  should  be  thoroughly  washed  with  luke-warm  water,  and 
is  then  ready  to  be  hoisted  to  the  track,  hung  on  gambrel  sticks  and 
dressed.  Clean,  fine  hardwood  sticks  may  be  used  to  spread  the  car- 
cass open  to  insure  rapid  cooling.  All  of  the  instruments  and  car- 
casses should  be  kept  absolutely  clean. 

CURING  PLAIN  SALT  PORK 

When  the  carcass  is  thoroughly  cooled  out  it  can  be  cut  up,  rubbed 
thoroughly  with  fine  salt  and  packed  closely  in  a  barrel.  After  twelve 
hours  a  brine  consisting  of  10  pounds  of  salt  and  2  ounces  of  salt- 

»  For  similar  methods  described  more  in  detail,  see  Farmers'  Bulletin  No.  183, 
U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture. 


15 

peter  for  each  100  pounds  of  meat,  dissolved  in  four  gallons  of  boiling 
water  and  allowed  to  cool,  should  be  poured  over  the  meat  and  a  large 
rock  placed  on  top  to  keep  the  meat  down.  The  pork  can  be  kept  in 
this  brine  until  used. 

DRY  CURED  PORK 

When  cool  cut  up  the  carcass,  rub  thoroughly  with  salt  and  pack 
in  boxes.  All  spaces  are  filled  with  a  good  quality  of  fine  salt.  Keep 
it  packed  for  from  eighteen  to  thirty  days.  The  pieces  may  then  be 
taken  out  and  the  surplus  salt  washed  off.  It  is  now  ready  for  smoking. 
For  this  purpose  hardwood  is  desirable.  Good  results  have  been  re- 
ported from  the  use  of  green  apple  wood.  Corn  cobs  will  do.  After 
the  smoking  is  finished  the  flesh  side  can  be  painted  with  sorghum 
molasses,  into  which  a  considerable  amount  of  black  pepper  and  a 
small  amount  of  red  pepper  have  been  stirred.  After  the  surface  is 
dry,  a  second  painting  is  given. 

The  pieces  can  then  be  wrapped  in  good  building  paper,  covered 
with  cotton  sacks  and  hung  up,  with  the  small  end  of  the  hams  and 
shoulders  down,  until  ready  for  use. 

Tn  warm  weather  this  recipe  should  be  used  with  caution,  if  at  all. 

SUGAR  CURED  HAMS  AND  BACON 
A  standard  recipe  used  generally  for  this  process  is  as  follows : 
The  process  is  the  same  as  given  above  for  plain  salt  pork  until 
the  amount  of  the  materials  is  reached ;  then  use  8  pounds  of  salt,  12 
pounds  of  brown  sugar  and  2  ounces  of  saltpeter.  Dissolve  in  hot 
water  as  before  and  cool  thoroughly;  pour  over  the  meat  and  place 
the  weights  on.  The  thinner  pieces  should  remain  in  the  brine  from 
four  to  six  weeks;  hams  and  shoulders  six  to  eight  weeks.  Smoking 
can  be  done  as  previously  described. 

TRYING  OUT  LARD 

Only  the  choicest  fat  should  be  used.  Many  people  prefer  to  keep 
the  leaf  lard  separate  from  the  other,  as  it  is  very  clear  and  white. 
The  gut  fat  should  not  be  mixed  with  any  other  since  it  often  has  a 
strong  taste.  All  the  fat  should  be  cut  into  pieces  not  longer  than 
one  to  one  and  one-half  inches  and  no  lean  meat  put  in,  as  it  will  often 
cause  trouble  at  time  of  boiling  by  sticking  to  the  kettle  and  burning. 

Put  a  quart  of  water  in  a  clean  kettle  and  fill  about  two-thirds  full 
of  cut  fat.  The  water  is  to  prevent  the  fat  from  burning  before  it 
begins  to  melt.     A  moderate  fire  should  be  kept  until  the  cracklings 


16 

are  brown  and  will  float.  Occasional  stirring  is  necessary  to  prevent 
burning.  The  melted  fat,  after  cooling  slightly,  is  strained  through  a 
muslin  cloth  into  a  stone  jar.  An  occasional  stirring  while  cooling  will 
help  to  whiten  the  lard.  Sometimes  a  teaspoonful  of  salt  is  sprinkled 
over  the  bottom  of  each  can  or  jar  to  help  preserve  the  last  of  the 
lard.  Covers  should  not  be  placed  on  the  containers  until  the  lard  is 
cool. 

SAUSAGE 
Various  proportions  of  fat  and  lean  meat  are  used  for  sausage 
making,  some  preferring  not  more  than  one  pound  of  fat  for  each 
three  pounds  of  lean;  others  as  much  as  one  pound  of  fat  for  each 
two  and  one-half  pounds  of  lean.  Only  the  better  trimmings  should  be 
used.  They  should  be  cut  up  and  run  through  a  grinder  twice.  For 
seasoning,  one-half  ounce  of  black  pepper  and  one  ounce  of  pure,  fine 
salt  for  each  four  pounds  of  meat,  and  one  tablespoonful  of  cayenne 
pepner  for  each  sixty-five  pounds  of  meat  will  suit  the  average  taste. 
Sage  may  be  added  if  desired.  This  seasoning  should  be  spread  over 
the  meat  after  the  first  grinding  so  that  the  second  grinding  will  mix 
it  more  thoroughly  than  it  can  be  done  by  hand.  The  meat  may  then 
be  stuffed  into  muslin  bags,  whose  diameter  should  be  preferably  not 
over  three  inches,  and  the  length  may  be  eighteen  to  twenty  inches. 
The  bags  may  then  be  dipped  in  melted  paraifine  and,  if  hung  in  a 
cool  place,  should  keep  for  sometime.  Sausage  may  be  kept  for  a  time 
in  a  cool  place  if  run  into  a  stone  jar  and  covered  over  the  top  with  a 
thin  layer  of  lard. 


